In a big moment for the Detroit Pistons, Cade Cunningham’s Game 2 performance didn’t just snap a 17-year playoff win drought — it also caught the attention of NBA legend Carmelo Anthony.
Impressed by Cunningham’s poise and skill, Anthony said he’s interested in mentoring the young star.
Carmelo Anthony Offers Mentorship to Cade Cunningham
During Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round series, Carmelo Anthony — sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden — watched Cunningham light it up. After the game, Anthony shared his admiration and said he’d love to work with him.
“I always said I wanna work with Cade … I would love to work with him.”
Melo says he wants to work with Cade and help him add to his scoring bag in the post pic.twitter.com/Ptf1OKuJHS
— nick (@nick__xo) April 23, 2025
Anthony praised Cunningham’s potential and versatility. “He’s a 6’6″ point guard … I see him starting to get down there in the post,” Anthony said. He added that with better post moves and more patience, Cunningham could be even tougher to stop.
Anthony would be a powerful mentor for Cunningham. A 10-time All-Star and recent Hall of Fame inductee, Anthony was an offensive force in the NBA.
Playing 19 NBA seasons after being drafted No. 3 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, Anthony scored an astounding 28,289 career points — the 10th most in NBA history.
He made six All-NBA teams and was the 2012-2013 NBA scoring champion, when he led the Knicks to a 54-28 record and finished third in MVP voting.
Despite his failure to win an NBA title, Anthony was a winner at nearly every other level. He famously led Syracuse University to its only Men’s Basketball National Championship as a freshman. He was also a prolific Olympian, winning three consecutive Gold Medals with Team USA from 2008 to 2016.
The moment between them stood out when Cunningham, after a powerful dunk in the third quarter, pointed right at Anthony, who saw it as a sign of respect.
“It’s a respect thing … I’m here for the Knicks, but I’m here to come see you put in work.”
Cade Cunningham’s 33-Point Performance Ends Pistons’ 17-Year Playoff Drought
The Pistons finally broke their playoff curse with a Game 2 win over the Knicks, thanks to Cunningham’s monster night. He dropped 33 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and added three assists, leading Detroit to its first postseason win since May 26, 2008.
The win marked the end of a brutal playoff drought. Cunningham’s effort stood out as both a breakout and a sign of serious growth.
After the game, Cunningham shared what the win meant to him and the city, saying:
“It feels good to represent the city like we did tonight. It’s something that the city has been waiting on for a long time.”
Now the series shifts to Detroit for Game 3, and the Pistons will try to ride that momentum, with Cunningham leading the way.